Ken Follett and The Pillars of the Earth Videos

Go inside The Pillars of the Earth!
Let Oprah introduce you to Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth. Set in medieval England, the author tells the story of a monk who faces overwhelming struggles and violence on his quest to construct the greatest cathedral ever built.



Oprah's Lunch with Ken Follett
Move over, Tom Builder! Meet the real architect behind Kingsbridge. Ken Follett reflects on his humble start as a struggling reporter, what a typical writing day is like and how he dreamed up his medieval masterpiece.

• Lunch with Ken Follett - Part 1
  Meet Ken Follett for a red wine afternoon to discuss his medieval novel. Oprah finds out about Ken's dreams of being a hotshot reporter, days as a struggling author and determination to become a best-selling novelist.
  
• Lunch with Ken Follett - Part 2
  Ken Follett's writing process begins every morning when he wakes up with the story in his head. Learn more about his writing process and how the title The Pillars of the Earth came about.
  
• Ken Follett's blues band
  When Ken Follett isn't writing a best-seller, he's playing bass guitar in a blues band called Damn Right I Got the Blues. Ken explains his Monday night practices and the gigs they get to play.
  
• Ken Follett on the evil William Hamleigh
  Oprah tells author Ken Follett that while she was reading The Pillars of the Earth, she was so frustrated by the character of William Hamleigh that she's convinced his evil ways must be due to a "short-man's complex!"
  
• Ken Follett creating the characters of Kingsbridge
  How did Ken Follett dream up the characters of The Pillars of the Earth? Ken says he allowed them to become more complex as the story progressed. Prior Philip, for example, became the novel's problem solver.

Oprah Interviews Ken Follett After the Show
One hour was not enough time to answer all the questions Oprah had about The Pillars of the Earth! Here are more exclusive conversations with Ken Follett.

• Q&A with Ken Follett: After the Show - Part 1
  Ken Follett answers the audience's questions about the book's most-hated and loved characters. What does he think about Tom the Builder and William Hamleigh?
• Q&A with Ken Follett: After the Show - Part 2
  Why did it take so long for Ken Follett to write a sequel to The Pillars of the Earth? Learn more about Ken's writing process for World Without End.
• Q&A with Ken Follett: After the Show - Part 3
  Although Prior Philip's values are somewhat similar to the author's own, Ken Follett doesn't write characters based on specific people. Instead, he allows the plot to play a role in character development and uses historical authenticity to give the storyline its context. Also, learn more about Ken's involvement in Reading Is Fundamental and other charitable organizations.

Go behind the scenes of The Pillars of the Earth the movie!
It takes a village to bring The Pillars of the Earth to life. From preproduction meetings to costume fittings, these exclusive videos take you behind the scenes and inside the making of an epic miniseries.

• A preproduction storyboard meeting
• Take a peek at the making of the set
• Costume fitting with the film's actresses
• Ken Follett tours the set for the first time
• Producer Ridley Scott visits the set
• Filming The Pillars of the Earth

Get the complete reader's guide to Oprah's Book Club selection The Pillars of the Earth.